What the hell is up with that?

So what will $30 dollars get you here?  Depends on what you want. 

$30 = Coffee- 6 cups.

$30 = Bus fair- about 20 days worth. 

$30 = 2 meals, maybe 3 (but some places will get you about 5)

$30 = Packs of smokes- 5

$30 = BART rides- 5 depending on where you’re going

$30 = Movie- 3 at the cinema

$30 = Groceries- 1 loaf of bread, 1 jar of peanut butter, 1 Bear worth of honey, 2 apples, 2 oranges, 6 bananas, 1 pack of rice cakes, 1 tomato, 1 avocado, a box of sandwich baggies,  1 box of cheese nip like crackers, and 1 (4 uses) box of tide.  No partridge nor the pear tree.  Just those simple items.

So you have to choose very carefully what it is you want to do.  You can see how it can all add up. 

2nd job? Oh yeah.  3rd job?  Just might for the heck of it.

It’s been a very interesting day.  I have managed to get lost twice.  Act’s of nature or just low blood sugar?  Who knows.  Either way it has lead me to meet new people.  I went to Ocean Beach today and hung out with Jess (I met through craigslist).  She lives on a block that runs along the beach in what some might call a really pimp house.  On my way there I managed to get lost on a one way train.  Yes, it’s possible.  I got off at the wrong station.  An hour later I finally reached my destination…the beach.  We hung out, played some pool, grabbed dinner, watched the sunset on the beach and watched a movie.  None of this being romantic in any way mind you.

On the way back at 11pm I managed to get on the right bus going yet again the wrong way.  What part of town I ended up in is irrelevant at this point.  The important part is that on the train I met someone.  Again, not romantic but she is really really cute.  She reminded me of Hope.  I asked her about where the train was heading and then after the brief exchange of information I turned around and went back to listening to my music.  I sat and thought about it and it just seemed right.  I had this overwhelming feeling to ask her for coffee.  So I did.  Yet again in a non-romantic way.  We got off the train in the Castro and stopped in a little dive and talked for about an hour.  Point being…force of nature or pure will?  Was I supposed to get lost and meet this person who resembles someone whom I hold dear or would I have met her anyway.  Fate or timing?  Ahhh, the minds little struggle to analyze life.

So the movie sucked but the company was great.  I met Jess and Dani last night.  Both lesbians to my great relief.  I really enjoyed their company and they are fun gals.  I think I am going camping with them in a couple of weeks for Jess’s birthday.  Unfortunately we weren’t able to really get into what we all do and like but the conversations we did have were fun.  They remind me of you all.  Sarcastic and fun.  I think today I might be going to the beach with Jess or perhaps over to her house to play pool and hang out.  Last night I rode the BART down to Daly City.  When the train came out of the tunnel the moon was orange and rising over the city.  It was the most amazing moon rise I have seen in a while.  I finally found a pair of comfortable shoes.  Thank god.  I have been soaking my right ankle daily with Epsom salt and applying absorbine hourly.  Man, all this walking has been an adjustment for my feet.  I am definitely loosing weight though.  I eat two meals a day probably adding up to 1000 calories if I’m lucky.  I’m pretty sure I am walking about 3 miles a day too.  It’s really funny.  Anyway, back to the shoes.  If you want a deal, where do you go?  China town. I got a pair of Adidas for $40 today.  I don’t know how they do it.  The price was $39.  I was waiting for the tax which is a whopping 8.5% here.  Alas, no tax!?!  "How much?"  "forty dollar"  OK then.  All the places have great deals.  Stolen goods or just good connections?  My feet don’t care right now.  (I know it’s just good connections) 

The bus stops are a great place to meet people that are, well, fucking weird.  Yesterday, while waiting on the 12 to go to the BART, this guy comes out of no where and starts pointing at me saying that "he see’s me".  Now, I understand what he meant by this.  It wasn’t just some observation.  Then he told me I was a good person, twirled his cane a few times, leaned on it and proceeded to tell me about the blood in his stool that had been there for the past 14 hours.  "What do you think that means?" he asked me.  I was at a loss at this point.  I just smiled and said that it couldn’t be good.  LOL, this city has some funny people in it.  Regardless of their mental status they’re still nice and pretty damn interesting. 

I think I am addicted to the whole dot dot dot thing.  I am completely aware that it has a name, but I prefer dot dot dot.  Anyway, I decided last night to check out craigslist and find some local yocals to hang out with.  I have managed to get replies from:  1 newly not so out of the closet gay man, a local girl who seems really nice and wants to have drinks (not really up my avenue but I’m sure they serve water) and some lesbians who want to hang out.  I have decided to remain in north beach and paid my rent.  So it’s time to unpack and grab some groceries.  In the two days I have been walking around I have already noticed my pants to be fitting more loosly.  Yeah!  I am afraid if this keeps up I may have to start buying more clothes.  Well at least they will be smaller sizes as opposed to larger.  The whole buzzed head thing is nice.  It cuts down on the morning "get ready" time.  I spend more time on my mouth that my head now…that’s nice LOL.  It’s always sunny which is another nice thing about this city.  I found a great little pizza by the slice place just down from my place.  Yesterday I had some really good vegetarian curry at an Indian place in the Tenderloin (homemade Naan bread…mmmmmmmmm)  This morning it was a blueberry cheese danish from a local baker.  The blueberry’s were fresh and squirted all over my hand when I bit into them.  That sounds a bit phallic I know but it’s true.  Mmmmmmmm blueberry squirt.  LOL.  It’s like a vacation everyday.  I love it here.  I hope it’s not just the newness.  I hope it stays this way.  I have never been this happy.

After walking all over the city today and riding the bus down and around trying to figure out the muni system I was exhausted.  So what do I do?  I go to my room and hang out making phone calls to local non-profits that are hiring.  (I am looking for a part-time job to fill in the gaps of downtime)  After making phone calls I decide that it’s cold and a hot cup of coffee is what I need.  Grab my bag and walk out the door.  Down the stairs and on the street.  Turn right and head for Columbus.  Got my headphones on groovin to my tunage.  Happen to look over at a passerby and realize that I know this person.  Hmm, interesting timing.  He’s on his way to get a candy bar before starting his shift at a local restaurant/bar/club across the street and me on my way for coffee.  After an exchange of numbers and the quick chit chat that we call "catching up" we were both on our ways again, disappearing into the crowd.  And I thought Asheville was small….

So the funny thing is that the street I live on is a boys wet dream.  I walk out the door of the place I am staying and there are: 2 sex toy shops, a dozen booty bars, strip clubs, another various collection of sex shops, magazine stores, DVD porn shops, more titty bars and lots of great hidden gems better known as restaurants.  I love it though.  It’s diverse and not what you would think.  Just around the corner are a plethora of shops, more fine restaurants, coffee shops and tiny bars that attract a local onset of genuinely friendly people.  About six blocks away is market street with stores that I can’t afford and plenty of museums and cultural meccas.  Most of the people have accents or don’t speak English at all which I love.  I don’t think I have been in one store that is "American" owned.  It’s great.  This town speaks for itself.  Last night in my lovely 8 by 8 room I listened to the young boys drunkenly yalp as they exited and entered the building of pink neon.  Oh what testosterone can do for a person when alcohol is applied.  Perhaps it was their first lap dance or perhaps they realized the door to door booby havens.  Who knows, I was merely there to hear their cries of Ecstasy.
So, for the viewing pleasure of those who actually look at this and also for the fact I have no one to share these wonderful moments with, I have included pics of the past few days of my life.  Without further delay here they are.

Seals at the Santa Cruz Pier

View of my street

A random walk to the mission district

A typical view of where I live

So there you have it.  This is what life is like for me right now.  I will update with some pics of my room later.  For now I am enjoying the sunny city. 

Well, here I am.  I am a mixture of excited, scared shitless, happy, sad, overwealmed, awed, proud, heart broken, relieved, and about another half a dozen feelings I am sure.  It’s been an interesting week I must say.  The most interesting in my life.
I have managed to run around the west coast, get a job that I really wanted, lose someone I truly care about, feel for the first time what alone really is like, and come to new realizations that I hope will manifest into reality.  I, for the first time in my life, truly believe in creating your own reality.  The good thing about life is that, yes- it will throw piles of shit at you, but you can dodge them if you wish to.  I set out to sink or swim.  At this point, despite my situation, I feel as though I am walking on the water.  I see no end in sight and a future so bright…yes that’s right…I gotta wear shades.  Oh, that’s just the west coast sun.  Let’s hope that this charmed existence that right now I am calling my life continues to nurture me as it has in the past few weeks.
So where am I?  North Beach…China Town.  I am staying in a roach motel..literally.  It’s like a scene from a movie.  Narrow Halls and a room the size of a large walk-in closet.  I can wash my face sitting in bed LOL.  I have a view of the bay which is oh so strategically blocked by a row of houses.  At least the window opens though.  I have a single bed for one person which is fine as I see no sign of company anytime soon.  The people are nice as well as the roaches and the area is very touristy.  I guess I blend in in that respect. 
The coffee shop I am in, communicating with you all, is located in the same area.  I am looking out the open air window right now at the top of the Transamerica Pyramid which is about three blocks away and 1 block to my lovely abode.  I walked through China Town today and ate lunch at a restaurant there.  It’s quite interesting to be in an area where english isn’t even the second language.  No problem though it was a fun adventure.  I don’t know where to next.  I think perhaps a museum or possibly a movie. 
My next matter of business would be to figure out the transit system.  I have to have it somewhat figured out by monday as I start work.  It seems fairly easy though.  Bus A to bus B and so on.  Plus the BART!  I just felt that an exclamation was needed there.  I am definetly not in Kansas anymore. 

I got the job with Green Peace.  I start monday.  I am stoked.  I can’t believe the changes and turns my like has taken.  I was in Santa Cruz yesterday walking through the town.  I saw a guy scoring wood with a magnifying glass.  It was pretty amazing.  The weather has been amazing.  I haven’t seen rain since I left Asheville.  It’s always sunny in the afternoon while the mornings are cool until the fog burns off.  I wondered down the wharf by the boardwalk in Santa Cruz yesterday on my walk.  I watched the seals lying on the cross boards under the wharf.  Talk about a great life.  They were amazing just lying there sleeping in the shade awaiting the tide.  Others were gracefully swimming in the water below looking content with their life.  That’s kinda how I feel right now.  I couldn’t be any happier.  Well, maybe I could be, but we’ll see about that.  I am in no hurry.  In the words of WSP, Life is grand.  In my words, life is just a moment in time and I am grabbing its crotch and telling it to cough.  Well, it’s time to find an apartment.

So I have an interview in San Fran tomorrow for greenpeace.  I am excited.  We’ll see how it goes.  They actually offer full health, dental, paid vacation & sick leave, 12 bucks an hour with a full time work week of 30 hours…uh can you say dream job….weekends off.  Holy shit I hope I get this job, but even more I hope I like it.  I think I will.  Who else is gonna pay you to roam the city and ask for money?  Perhaps the democratic party….

Today I called the democratic national committe in San Fran.  They’re offering jobs for the midterms.  I think it’s time to take some action for this country.  I really hope it works out.  I also have a call in to Greenpeace.  They’re hiring as well.  Either way it’s doing something.  Living in Asheville I never felt the need to do something.  After getting here though the air is somewhat different in so many ways.  Literally and metaphorically.  I feel so different.  Thoughts are more clear.  Perhaps that whole vortex thing is real lol.  Life is just so new here.  It feels like what I have been hoping for and finally sought.